Mammoth Screen is renewing their option on the 1632 series for another year. They’ve hired a well-known screenwriter and have the script for the first episode. They’ve also made a deal with ITV Studios for worldwide distribution. This is important because ITV is a big deal in the UK. We’re still a long ways from an up-and-running TV series, but things are looking good.
— Eric
Of course, things can stay this way for years. Well, it’s money.
Excellent! As John says, either way, it means money. The second way would mean much MORE money, and we’ll hope for that, but at least they’re still paying!
Does this mean there’s going to be a 1632 TV series?
It means someone is interested in making a series. But an option is a LONG way from actually MAKING anything. The “someone” getting the option, in this case, is a company that actually might be able to do it, but that’s not even close to a guarantee.
I hope Eric maintains some creative control. Though that’s easier said than done.
When they made a TV movie of A Wizard of Earthsea, they promised Ursula Le Guin to hew close to the book. Le Guin publically complained about the result. Starting with making Ged a petulant white boy. “Most of the people watching have never read your book, so who cares?â€
I can imagine Mammoth turning 1932 it into a time-traveling Beverly Hillbillies.
The comic strip Funky Winkerbean has a thread on one character’s book being turned into a made-for-TV movie. The book was a memoir about the character’s wife’s death from cancer. The movie being made? Not so much anymore.
It’s a pretty funny thread.
In Australia we get many ITV series, and good alternative reality is very popular. Because Game Of Thrones is only available on FOXTEL here, we have the distinction of being the biggest illegal downloaders in the world. Impressive for 24mil people. As all say we would be prepared to pay a reasonable price for it, but if they charge too much then tough. 1632 would be very well received here and would earn good money for the producers if they were reasonable.
Given the success of the LoTR franchise I wonder if they’d do any of the filming of a 1632 series in New Zealand?
I’m sceptical. 1632 as a fictional universe moves very slow, compared to most TV Series. I also don’t see a general audience being interested in this series if the producers don’t put a lot of effort (and money) into special effects (big battles, courts, industrialized Magdeburg, Steam ships, …) and costumes/scenery. Probably a steam-punky angle would have the biggest appeal, even though most 1632 fans will probably cringe at the comparison.
1632 isn’t Game of Thrones… at least to me the characters and the plot don’t feel as rich, while the alternate history, technological detail and optimistic outlook – the factors why I read 1632 – will be hard to put into an entertaining show.
But it would make for tremendous movies! You can pack more into it in less time and still keep the integrity. You can also introduce one a year, which with the great amount already written, it would last quite a while.
I really enjoyed this series at first. The problem is is that some small percentage of overzealous fans have really destroy the Integrity of the series. I think that there were parts of the story that should have been left to die instead of drawing out painfully. I would have liked to have seen the reaction in Japan because at the time Japan had recently closed its borders. Like I said a small group percentage I should say the fans have really decimated the series with their meddling. I believe that the series can recover but it’s going to have to take a jump in time of at least 10 years. Or maybe the story needs to be told from the perspective of 50 years in the future. I think the days of including fans writing into the series needs to stop immediately. I would like to see this series recover. I think it is a fantastic story and has a lot of opportunities in it.
@Kevin: Anyone can write fanfic related to anybody’s (published or unpublished) work. Getting it published is another matter. Probably over 95% of the 1632 fanfic has not been and will not be published. Only Eric Flint’s pick, then Paula Goodlett’s pick, and now Walt Boyes’ pick of what they considered the best of it has been published (in the Grantville Gazette), so what harm has the unpublished remainder done to the 163x (RoF) hypernovel?
Game of thrones ends. We need a replacement. Is 1632 series ready for TV?